With only four national events remaining on the 2001 NHRA Drag
Racing Series schedule, Dixon is as close to winning a Winston Top Fuel
Championship as he has ever been in his seven-year driving career. He
has won more races (5), reached more finals (8) and accumulated more
points (1,701) than in any of his previous seasons driving for team owner
Prudhomme's Snake Racing.

But along with success comes constant challenges from those who
wish to surpass you. That challenge comes from Dixon's chief rival,
Kenny Bernstein, who has battled with the Miller Lite Team all season
long and who trailed Dixon in the points races for over one month before
retaking a slim 14-point lead last weekend with his win at Joliet's Route
66 Raceway.

Dixon believes that the pendulum of momentum is due to swing
back in his favor as the season draws to a close. Before Dixon's
semifinal finish to Bernstein last weekend, the Miller pilot won two out
of the previous three races (Brainerd, Indianapolis), however Bernstein
has come out on top at the last two events, including Dixon's runner-up
finish to Bernstein at Memphis.

"These last two races they have made a move on us, they have
been better the last two races," said Dixon. "We were better the
two before and hopefully it will come back to us at the next two."

The rescheduling of the Reading national event due to the
September 11 incident brings the 6,500 horsepower machines to a great
Maple Grove track even later in the year, with cooler temperatures and
great race conditions.

"I really think you'll see conditions better than what we
had last week in Chicago," said Dixon. "I'll say that 10-15
years ago when we used to go to Reading, that was one of the better
tracks at the end of the season before the races like Dallas and Houston
came along. The records used to be broke all the time there. Well,
last year they ground the race track and as long as the last winter
didn't put any new bumps in the track, our going there a month later
should make it real fast - I would say even faster than last
weekend."